And . . . relax

Another week over.  Another week where my contribution alone has ensured that the world remains spinning on its axis*.

Home has been a difficult week.  Maggot 1 has been home all week ill.  Again.  This is a more severe version of what I have had.  We may well have caught something from A&E's Maggots whilst away.  Wherever it came from, its presence in Scobi Towers was most unwelcome.  This has meant a bending of schedules.  In many ways, we should be grateful that we have schedules that can be bent, so we are really not complaining, but it does add to the levels of daily stress when our well-layed plans are de-rerailed.

This weekend, we have the usual clubs, for Maggot 2 at least, and for the evening we are having a meal out with David and Samantha, our Christmas presents to each other, bundled up in to a night out.  For chaps and chapesses such as us, who have everything**, a night out is the best present we can give and receive. 

We will also be looking to get out and about, either swimming or a country walk, or really anything that does not require a screen, for some family bonding and general expending of energy.

I may also be wanting some "personal time", an unusual concept in Scobi Towers, but a chap can try.  My new Kindle is my new best friend, well maybe second or third, and a bit of time in the library, reading my latest (free) book will be most welcome.

Talking of the library, I thought I would publish a couple of pictures of our Ercol chairs that I refurbished.  I suspect some may find the upholstery a little "modern", taste being a very personal thing, but I have to say that we in Scobi Towers absolutely love them.

I hope you have a fantastic weekend.  Speak next week.

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* This would pass for humour in these parts
** From our perspective, a case of truth not standing in the way of a good story, though if you were to speak to my mother, then this would be seen as the absolute truth

Ouch!

Brad was in hospital yesterday for a gall bladder removal operation.  Patient seems to be fine, if a little sore, and our thoughts go out to him as he settles down to Homes Under the Hammer.  If ever there was an aversion therapy to get you back to work, that is it.

Keep your pecker up Brad.  Fluids up, exertion down, you know the drill.  Hopefully see you soon.

Ten out of Ten

We had a great four days up near London, travelling in to town twice during our trip. 

The first trip was to Camden Market.  This is an extremely popular tourist destination, as witnessed by the wide variety of languages we heard whilst wandering round the stalls.  It is in fact so popular that the tube station is only open to people arriving at Camden for the day, opening at 5.30pm every evening to allow people to LEAVE Camden.  The queues as a result were miserable, so we caught a bus down to another station and had a fairly easy trip back.

The market itself was quite something.  I do remember it from you early years (twenties anyway) and many of the stalls probably have not changed much since then, being a mixture of one-off designers, stuff you would buy for Glastonbury, either to wear or smoke, leather goods and stuff that is what you would expect a steam punk to be wearing.  In addition, there was a lot of street food and even some stalls interesting to us.  We ate magnificently, and thoroughly enjoyed our wandering.

Our second visit in to town was to go to the Houses of Parliament.  We arrived at Victoria station, and decided to walk up to BuckPal, and were rewarded with a changing of the guard.  It was also packed, but we managed to get a pitch on a wall to observe some of what went on.

We then strolled on, through St James' Park, to tHoP.  A quick scan and a rub down by a very nice man, and we were in.  Once our guide introduced herself, and gave us an overview of the tour, we were off, starting where the Queen herself enters when attending the Opening of Parliament and other ceremonies.  In the royal section, the colour-coding is blue.  As we moved through to the Lords, the colour changes to red, and finally on to the Commons which is coloured green.  In between, we had an utterly absorbing commentary from our guide, giving us all the sorts of detail we love, and really bringing to life the place and its history. 

We were blown away by it all, hence the ten out of ten mark for the attraction.  I can only urge you to book a tour at some stage in your life, available only during recess of course, since it really was a most fantastic experience.

Once we had finished our tour, we strolled again, past the end of Downing Street and in to Trafalgar Square, where we found a pizzeria for lunch.  By the time we had eaten, and had a small* beer, we were good for nothing but getting home, which we did forthwith, for an evening of Canasta.

This weekend, I am doing chores and the usual Saturday things.  Nothing going on in the evening, so we will probably play some poker with the Maggots (they are becoming demon gamblers, even if they are still working on their poker faces - net result, a chap does tend to clean up) before some mind-numbing TV.

I hope you have a great weekend, and speak next week.


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* well, maybe not so small

And . . . relax

Another week over.  This one much busier than usual, with me doing lots of yer actual solutioning, not just pontificating on the subject.  Also got some strategic pieces starting to shake out, all around Cloud, in which I want and need to be involved.  I have to say, rather than the shouting that tends to accompany too-busy times*, I am not adverse to being really busy.  The drudge will always be the drudge, but if I can also get some interesting stuff going, then time passes quickly and parts of what I am doing feels like I am making a difference.

We are off to London in the 'van for four nights tomorrow, where we plan to visit the Houses of Parliament, Camden Market, and maybe the War Rooms, depending on time and inclination.  Looking forward to a break, away from it all, roughing it** in the 'van.

I hope you have a great weekend, and I will be thinking of you come Monday morning, not too early, when I will be tucking in to egg bap and tea, followed by cake and coffee.  Who says I am a creature of habit.

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* of the "where the hell is my proposal" variety
** those of you who know anything about our 'van trips know they are anything but roughing it.  They are full of eating, drinking, and sitting.  Nice.

And . . . relax

An average week.  Lots of journeyman-like work, necessary for the smoother running of my bit of the business, but not really developing my abilities, my skills, or, being candid, my interest.  Needs must and all that.

This weekend we have a fairly normal Saturday, and on Sunday are meeting with David, Samantha, Brad and Angelina, and associated Maggots, at a woods half way between us, The Forest of Bere, also seemingly called 100 Acre Woods, for a walk and some lunch.  Will be good to catch up, to get some country fresh air, and to get some nice nosh.  When I say "nice", I guess if I am being honest, as nice as we can find that suits everyone in the group.  Maggot 2 has a pretty limited diet choice, as does one of the other Maggots, so it will be what it will be, and it will not be what it isn't.  Glad we cleared that up.  Whatever it is, we will enjoy it, and the company, so here's hoping the weather stays as it is currently predicted*, or improves.

Tonight, I will be drinking beer and watching rugby.  COME ON ENGLAND.  I will also be texting my Welsh friends, for pre-match banter, which hopefully will not turn in to post-match embarrassment.

I hope you have a great weekend, and speak next week.

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* Black cloud right now, but no rain, hopefully

Breaking the fast

As you know, I have been attempting a dry January.  In the round and on the whole, I succeeded.  I decided to end my fast on Friday evening, to break me in for Saturday evening*, when D&S were coming over. 

I thought you might like to know how it went.

Well, it went well.  I enjoyed the beer, LO enjoyed her fizz just a little bit more than me, which meant on Saturday morning she was enjoying life just a little bit less than me, resorting to four lots of tablets, and this for a filly who prefers not to take tablets at all where possible.

Saturday night, I overdid it a bit, and LO was cautious, meaning that Sunday morning arrived rather quickly, but not too painfully.  We went off to Ikea for breakfast and a mooch, and while we did not get the items we were really after**, we did get some bits and had a good few hours getting our fix of retail therapy.

The rest of the day was spent getting ready for the week, eating, drinking and watching a bit of mindless television.

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* a chap can justify anything if he tries hard enough
** a side table and a light for the library